The Other Part of Life
by sue2008
Summary: A sequel to the story The Other Point of View. The guilty part was caught, but there still more to be done. Four friends standing together as they try to sort out also the other  not the profesional  part of their lives NOW COMPLETE
1. One Little Flaw

**Disclaimer: I don´t own any part of any of the shows used to create the story.**

**The other part of life**

**A/N Hello, my readers. Here I come with promised sequel to the story **_**The Other Point of View**__, _**so you should probably read the story first. As most of my stories, this one also goes for the happyending and is seriously shipper friendly (see A/N2 in the end of the chapter)…be warned then;)**

**Here it comes**

JJ sat in her car in front of the FBI building. She was wondering, if the decision she had made was right. Maybe it was just a childish instinct and she gave up to it under the influence of severe emotions. Maybe she talked it over too much with her friends. Maybe she was just naive.

And then there was the other 'maybe'. The fact that she might be found guilty and she might be forced to quit the FBI. She smiled. At least, someone would do it for her.

Realizing there was no rest for the wicked, she got out of her car. She checked her perfect outfit one more time and walked in.

The assistant in front of Strauss's office sent her right in with the they-are-already-waiting-for-you look. JJ checked her watch. She wasn't late, nor was she early. She was exactly on time. Smiling to herself contently, that even three weeks of forced holiday didn't change her habits, she entered the room.

"Good morning, Ma'am." JJ greeted politely and then turned to the other person in the room. She had expected him to be there, but his presence threw her off her mission a little anyway. With sharp "Good morning, Agent Hotchner" she forced herself to stay focused on the target.

If JJ's cold welcome surprised him, Hotch didn't let it show on his face as he nodded slightly instead of saying anything. He had had plenty of time to cool down during the three weeks JJ wasn't with the unit and he hated every single day of it. He even considered stopping the inquiry, but once the mechanism of suspension and following investigation started it was almost impossible to make it go away. There was no doubt in his mind JJ was going to be found innocent and fully restored in her position. He himself made sure of that in his statement. The only unknown for him was how long it was going to take them to be able to work together as easily as before. He hoped that after his apology (that seemed now unavoidable even for him) everything should go back relatively to normal. If he played it good, they might be again going for a lunch together in no time.

But there was one little flaw in his great version of the future. JJ didn't react as he had expected. She sat still during the time Strauss explained to her in boring legal language, that the evidence was reviewed and there was nothing to prove her guilt. He didn't listen for most of the time until his boss got to the part that JJ could go back to her duties immediately.

Then his castles on ice collapsed.

"Thank you, Ma'am" was JJ's obvious answer. Then she should have stood up and go with him back to the rest of the team so they could celebrate. But JJ wasn't done.

"I had had time to think during my suspension and I decided to hand in my resignation."

Before her bosses could shake off the surprise JJ produced the required paperwork.

"I realize it's very short notice, but I'd like for it to come in action immediately. I believe the team was able to function without me for the last three weeks, so it shouldn't be problem for them to continue further. I'm of course willing to help with sorting out the cases I've worked on and helping my replacement with any problem that might occur." JJ had the speech ready for two days.

"You could have quitted anytime during your suspension" Strauss couldn´t help to point out, but she didn´t show any real emotion.

"I could have" JJ was ready for that line "but it would make me look guilty and I'd like to quit on my own terms" she explained on her way out. There was no need for her to stay in the building any longer. Not anymore.

.oOo.

It was late afternoon, but the Jeffersonian labs were still quite busy. JJ sat with Cam and Angela, sipping coffee and discussing the latest article in local press when one of interns came to them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but miss Jareau has a guest." The intern said and immediately walked away.

"Gee, how can I make them start call me JJ?" JJ wondered, it had been four weeks since she started working for the Jeffersonian and only handful of her closest coworkers called her JJ.

"You can't, they are not comfortable around you" Angela started gravely and Cam looked at her surprised "You are too good looking to be working in science institute. You make nervous even the autopsy table" Angela finished the sentence making her boss nod in mocking agreement.

"Thanks, you really know how to make girl feel welcomed" JJ snapped back not completely pretending her satiety so she rather stood up and went to check who was interrupting her break.

She couldn´t be more surprised, if The President himself was waiting for her in the hall, then she was, when she had recognized the person that stood there for real, obviously uncomfortable.

"Hotch, what are you doing here?" JJ asked as soon as she was sure her voice wouldn't betray her unease.

The guest visibly relaxed when he saw familiar face.

"JJ, how are you doing?" he asked managing something smile-like on his face.

"You came here at work hours to ask me how am I doing?" she wondered. This time he smiled undoubtedly. JJ might have worked for whomever and she still didn't like beating around bushes. Although Jeffersonian was pretty high profile institute, Hotch was sure JJ would get bored here sooner or later. All he had to do was to wait.

"The JAG is taking over the prosecution of Petty Officer Margaret Scott in connection with the Legionella case and asked us to send them all our files" he informed, but JJ had already known about that. Mac was happy that it finally came to military justice, but she was furious that the young Petty Officer was involved. When the girls were IM-ing yesterday Mac left no doubt that she was going to ask to be the defense lawyer. And the Petty Officer couldn't wish for better one.

"So?" JJ asked. "Send the files to them. I don't see a problem" once more she went straight to the point.

"Garcia says that because of your major involvement she isn't sure about few files and she needs your help sorting them out" he spilled at once.

"That would be first" JJ pointed out in matter-of-fact way. She was starting to guess what was going on. And she was getting ready to kick someone's ass.

"Don't look at me, I'm just a middle-man" Hotch started with defense once he had noticed change in JJ's mood.

"Tell her I'll stop by after hours. I'll call her to agree the details"

"It's kind of pressing matter" Hotch explained. JAG is waiting for the files so they can start with prosecution.

"OK, so I'll give Mac call as well" JJ stated wondering how come she was so readily and eagerly dealing with issues of team she wasn't working for anymore.

"The prosecution is led by Commander Rabb, I don't think giving Mac call would sort it out" Hotch rightly pointed out.

JJ gave him teasing smile "I'm sure Mac can deal with Harm. And he'll have his file this evening"

"What files?" Cam asked as she joined them unexpectedly. JJ only then realized they were still standing in the middle of the corridor. Damn, damn, damn! How many people had seen them? She was here not even a month and now she was going to be the news number one...having tete-a-tete with her previous boss...damn!

"Dr. Saroyan" Hotch noticed her presence very coldly.

"Cam, I'm sorry, I'll be right back, It's the Legionella case and Hotch, I mean Agent Hotchner, needed some help" JJ babbled confused.

"Then you should help him" Cam said giving JJ innocent look. Cam knew it was going to cost her later, but watching JJ so helpless was just amusing.

"They need just some help with sorting out the files. I'm sure it can wait till after my hours"

"You have left less than two hours, and it would look terribly if the Jeffersonian wouldn't help the investigation. You wouldn't want to deal with that kind of publicity" Cam was visibly enjoying herself.

"Thank you, Dr. Saroyan, you are very helpful" Hotch decided not to question good fortune when it came his way and by putting hand on JJ´s back, he led still confused blonde outside.

Cam didn't even wait for the doors to close behind them when she wrote to Ziva and Mac.

_'Guess who came by asking for JJ's help_?' and too content with herself she leaned back on her chair and waited for answers.

**Next: The answers :)**

**A/N2: OK, so I´m lame and I´m going for the obvious couples...at least concerning Mac, JJ and Ziva. But then there´s Cam. If you have any idea for some crazy couple-making (I have my favorite, but I´m not 100% into it), just write it into review or PM. I´m looking forward to your ideas.**


	2. We Have To

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**A/N I have no idea what to write…well, I guess I could have leave this spot empty, but it wouldn´t be any fun, would it;);)**

Meanwhile JJ was seated on the passenger seat on the usual black FBI car and was giving in to the destiny. She was figuring out the best was to punish first Garcia and then Cam for such a stunt they had pulled on her. Every attempt that Hotch made on conversation she destroyed by one syllable answer. Although the drive was only twenty minutes it seemed like forever.

At the FBI building JJ jumped out of the car and announcing she could find her way around run for Garcia's office. She entered without knocking.

"So, what's the big issue I need to be helping with" she said severely, intently skipping any greetings

"Sweetcake" Garcia jumped up and run to hug her friend "you are here...and where's the bossman, you didn't kill him or anything?" and JJ noticed Garcia was really kind of worried.

"No, he is fine…I think...but next time, call me. The drive with Strauss would have been less uncomfortable" JJ managed to hold severe look for a while longer, then softened a bit and smiled. After all, she was happy to be here, even for a while.

"So what do you need my help with?"

As JJ had expected, it was just some minor issue they could deal with on the phone or even Garcia could figure it out alone. They were ready in matter of minutes. JJ just announced she was ready to go, when Garcia finally came clear.

"You can't go" the tech said and it seemed terribly like begging.

"What? Why?" Garcia pleadings caught JJ off guard and all she managed was to react with one syllable questions.

"You can't leave us here alone with boss-man, he's all kind of crazy" Garcia tried to explain the situation but her voice was shaking with emotions. At first JJ thought Garcia was overreacting, but she seemed terribly sincere.

"Garcia, stop exaggerating" JJ reprimanded, not sure what to make of it "I had to go back to my work"

"Morgan is on the brink of quitting, Reid came to my cave just yesterday, actually crying and Emily spends almost every night drinking." Garcia spat out in rush "Hotch is impossible to be around since you´ve left. The only one able to deal with him in some way is Rossi. Only week after you quitted, he told Hotch to fuck off, really, he did" Garcia assured as she noticed JJ overwhelmed stare "and muttered something about getting laid."

"Stop it, it's not funny" JJ hoped rather than believed it was all a stupid joke.

"C'mon, I'll show you" and before JJ had chance to argue, Garcia dragged her to the bullpen.

"Look who I got here" she interrupted everyone's work. JJ didn't miss the fact, that every single one of her former coworkers first made sure that Hotch was safely locked in his office, before they even looked at Garcia.

Only then they noticed JJ. Reid was first next to them and to everyone's huge surprise, he hugged JJ tightly.

"You're back!" he exclaimed unusually loudly as for him.

"I'm just visiting" JJ explained and the doctor let her go mumbling something that sounded terribly like curses. Most of them had no idea that he even knew words like that, let alone using them.

"You came back to laugh at us, then?" Morgan asked, but his look was friendly as was his hug. But before JJ could react, Emily joined in as well.

"Don't they have more job spots at the Jeffersonian? I'll do anything, I can clean the windows or whatever" she begged and once more JJ had the terrible feeling that none of it was meant as a joke.

Before the conversation could start for real, Rossi came by, interested in what was going on. At the sight of JJ he whispered "Finally" but Morgan set record straight immediately

"She's just visiting..."

"Shit" Rossi summarized everyone's feeling and just walked away.

"Can you explain what's going on?" she was getting really worried, but before anyone could even take a breath, the door to Hotch's office cracked open.

"What's going on, you should be finishing your reports." The boss-man himself yelled and the small group dissolved. JJ remained standing there alone, even Garcia seemed to be trying to hide herself behind her blonde friend.

"I'm sorry, I've just needed to consult some procedure with the agents. I've never realized even very few weeks could make me unsure about the FBI procedures" she lied easily, but with heavy heart. What the hell happened here? She used to love to come here to chat with her then coworkers but now she was getting sick just by passing.

"I'll go now, the files are ready to be sent" she decided that leaving was the best option not only for her.

"I'll walk you out" Hotch offered to surprise and relief everyone present. Well, except JJ.

Before she could argue it was unnecessary, he led the way towards the elevator. While they waited for one, Hotch observed to no one specific.

"I just wish you'd come to me for help" not specifying when or what he meant. JJ stayed silent as she worked through her surprise and growing anger. She managed to hold still until they were alone in elevator.

"What happened to you?" she asked boldly. Now it was time for Hotch to be caught off guard. He turned his head away from JJ. He was well aware he was behaving improperly, but somewhere deep inside him there was teenage boy kicking and scratching to get out. There was just nothing he could do about it. She and only she made him feel that way. Without further words they reached their destination. JJ decided to use the opportunity of catching Hotch unprepared and turned to him.

"You've worked hard to build the unit, its spirit. Don't let one person's not necessarily wisest decision to destroy it. You are far stronger than that." and with almost friendly peck on his cheek she walked outside the elevator.

On autopilot Hotch picked the level of the BAU office. With every floor he had passed, he felt the hormone-driven teenage boy inside him mature. He clanged to the single idea that JJ had already started to question her decision. Maybe not everything was lost.

As he came to the bullpen he realized what JJ was talking about. The spirit of the unit was hanging just by the threat as everyone sat in their chair, working, worried even to look somewhere else then in the computer screen. It was time to change.

"What are you doing?" he said out loud and the guilt went through him once more as he noticed the scared looks of his coworkers. He hesitated "It's already almost five. Whatever you are doing it can wait till tomorrow, go home, have some rest" he ordered and went to his office.

The profilers stayed in awe, but they picked their things and left in hurry, before he'd change his mind. In the elevator Morgan wondered.

"Whatever JJ had done..."

"I know, she's amazing" Reid agreed.

"We should get her back..." Emily day-dreamed.

"Should?" Morgan disagreed "It's beyond should...We HAVE TO! And I mean tie-her-drag-her-screaming-and-kicking have to"

**Next: the usual girls-talk**


	3. Your Fault

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N For anyone out there still reading...here comes another part...  
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Mac was quite bored while she was going through some files on her desk, when she suddenly realized it was slightly after 1700. She turned off the computer and started to get ready to leave. The quiet knock on her half open door didn't surprise her, neither did the tall person entering her office without proper invitation.

"If you are here to talk deals I have to agree it with my client first" she was kind of glad to see him, but definitely wasn't in the mood for an overtime.

"I'm here to talk case, but I don´t have anything else to offer but guilty plea..." Harm said with his charming smile on.

"I see…no deal, then" she tried to go pass him, but he successfully blocked the way. She gave up.

"What is it, then?"¨

"Your friend still haven´t sent me the FBI case file" he complained. Mac growled.

"And you wonder why I didn't tell you about my friends...For the last time: I'm not going to use my friendship to avoid the proper channels..." then she hesitated for a while "...anymore" she admitted.

"Pretty please?" Harm tried once more with the too-cute-to-be-taken-seriously smile.

"JJ is not working for the FBI anymore" she reminded him what she was sure he knew very well "and you can call agent Hotchner yourself" she proposed with as much sweetness as she managed to get to her voice.

"And I was just thinking about inviting you to dinner" Harm shook his head and before Mac could react in any way her cellphone beeped loudly.

"Speak of the devil" she murmured as she checked the ID. JJ sent her message _'Need drink and talk_' and the name of pub she was probably already in. Mac was sure she wasn't the only one to get that message.

"Sorry, but I have to take a rain-check on the dinner" she said again with pretended sweetness. Finally she managed to get pass him and over her shoulder she once more offered "Agent Hotchner´s number is on my desk, feel free to get it" and she smiled as she imagined the conversation between these two men, but her good mood was destroyed by some young guy, judging by the looks junior agent with FBI written all over him.

"Sorry, ma'am, I'm looking for Commander Rabb, I have some files for him" he asked politely. Mac pointed him towards the door she just came from. She made mental note to make as much as possible from tonight's night off. As it seemed it was going to be the last for some time.

.oOo.

"So, what is it, JJ" Ziva asked as she was the first one to join her friend. As she also supposed, JJ sat at the bar and the half-empty glass in front of her wasn't probably her first that evening.

"I was to the BAU just a while ago" JJ got out of herself.

"So?" Ziva wondered.

"I don't know, is it really only few weeks I'm out? It feels like ages. And I don´t even have a strength to mention all the changes that happened there…" JJ had no idea how to explain to her friend the way she was feeling.

Before she could even try, Mac and Cam arrived.

"Look at them" Cam observed "they've started without us"

"Girls, it's not nice" Mac agreed.

"Don't even begin" JJ looked at Cam with something threat-like on her face "It's all your fault anyway"

"What did you do, Cam?" Ziva asked "I've thought it was about JJ being in the BAU"

"You were back in the BAU? Wow! Details, please..." Mac joined in.

"There´s nothing to tell, well at least not I'm comfortable talking about"

"Are you kidding, the uncomfortable part is usually the best" Cam disagreed.

"If you weren´t such a great boss, I´d have to use some violence against you" JJ finally smiled and shook her head "Damn, I´m spending too much time with Ziva and Mac"

The two women in question smiled, but impatiently inquired.

"OK, enough of the small talk, details please!"

It didn´t take long for JJ to describe her visit in the BAU, considerably longer time was spent on discussing Hotch´s behavior. To JJ´s dislike, girls seemed to be still set on the having-the-hots-for-JJ conclusion.

In seek of diversion, JJ asked Mac about the Petty Officer and the subject was not completely unwillingly changed.

"I´ve met with her just this morning. Poor girl. I´m not the person to go just with the first impression, but seriously, the girl didn´t seem to be old enough to be wearing a uniform, not to mention to be facing such serious charges. But she seems to be coping as well as she can. She wants to fight and is against any plea taking." Mac described the impression she got after only short meeting with her new client. She took one short breath before she finished "I like her."

"But does she have any case?" Ziva asked the unpleasant question.

"Well, that is another question" Mac hesitated "As FBI delivered their files only couple hours ago" there she gave only slightly mischievous wink towards JJ "I still have only what she gave me. I´m not sure about everything, there is lot of checking to be done, and I feel there is something she wants to keep to herself…we´ll see how it goes. Anyway, about what I´m sure right now is the huge amount of work in front of me…so, let´s not talk about work tonight, please"

.oOo.

The next morning was rather busy. Mac finally laid her hands on the petty officer´s files. As she guessed, there was a lot left to be found out and she was rather looking forward to that task.

The NCIS team caught another high profile case, so Ziva didn´t know where to go first. Cam was forced to deal with the argument between two interns that got slightly out of hand and JJ was trying to get ready the speech she was supposed to finish yesterday. Luckily for her, Cam wasn´t supposed to give it till next week. She was just trying to find out the best way of balancing the sponsor´s hunger for scientific evidence with their complete ignorance of most of the techniques used when her cell phone rang. She picked it up without checking the caller ID and regretted it from that very moment. Still barely conscious she finished the conversation and minimalizing the speech on her computer she turned on the IM program.

´_He asked me out_´ she sent a short note to the usual receivers, not even checking who was online.

´_Who_?´Mac wrote first, she was just at her computer. It took her only seconds to write again ´_Oh, my God….you mean, Hotch asked you out?_´ JJ had to smile, she could almost see the wheels in Mac´s head falling into the right place and then the realization spreading on her face.

´_The one and only_´ she answered.

´_C ´mon and you are IM-ing about that instead of coming up the one floor and telling me personally?_´Cam joined the chat.

´_I´m working on your speech_´ JJ explained adding smiley face.

´_As your boss I order you to take ten minutes off to calm down, I don´t need any holly-shits and what-the-hells in my speech_´ Cam wrote, she was being very practical as usually.

Before JJ could react, Ziva logged on via her phone

´_It took him long enough_´ she observed right away ´_Btw, Mac, you owe me five dollars_´

´_Gee, I really thought it would take him at least one week_´ Mac resigned.

´_You were betting about my private life_?´ JJ observed slightly concerned.

´_It´s too bad when you can´t even trust man to be undecided_´ Ziva commented to no one special, completely ignoring JJ´s complains.

´_I have never figured out Hotch as the action type_´ Mac continued.

´_My private life? You are kidding, right?´ _JJ was becoming more and more agitated.

´_Just because Harm isn´t able to act on his feelings doesn´t mean all men are as passive as he is_´ Ziva dropped the hint

´_BETS! MY PRIVATE LIFE? You are dead!...Wait, what is going on with Harm?´_ JJ took the bait.

´_There´s not only the case going on, the usual sweet talk between the two senior officers was slightly more public than usual. Apparently, the loser is supposed to invite the winner to the dinner_´ Ziva clarified.

´_It was his idea_´ Mac defended herself.

´_Yep, but you told him that he should learn to get dates on normal way_´ Ziva shared her gathered intel.

´_How the hell do you know that?_?´ Mac was ready to go and search for the wire-tap in her office.

´_Sorry, sweetie, but you are not my only source in the JAG.._.´ Ziva came out with the truth.

´_Zi, I love your sources…she would never told us that_´ Cam jumped to the conversation.

´_I know, especially when all Harm answered was, that he´d never said anything about date_´ Ziva wasn´t done yet.

´_Ouch, that´s cruel_´ JJ teased, but she was mostly glad the girls were making fun of someone else than her.

´_Not as cruel as his defeat is going to be_´ Mac was in her full Marine mode.

´Y_ou are scary sometimes, Mac…but it´s the way I love you the most_´ Ziva had nothing but admiration for her friend.

´_Thanks, Zi…I´m going back to work on the case, I really can´t lose now_´

** Next: Something about the case and the usual girl´s talk**


	4. A Thing

**Disclaimer: The usual**

**A/N After short delay, another chapter for my story…the good news is, I have almost finished the story, so the updates should be more frequent.**

Time passed, leaving the girls more or less busy with various cases. JJ grew very familiar in the Jeffersonian Institute and she was getting ready to admit she could be satisfied somewhere else then in the BAU.

As the Friday afternoon changed slowly to an evening, JJ locked the door of her small, but comfortable office and knocked on Cam´s door.

"Hey there, boss" she had started to use that name to tease Cam and even after all the time that had passed it was still working "we should leave now or we are going to be late"

"I think Ziva would be surprised if we´d arrived on time, but I´m just about ready. Just let me turn off my computer"

And as Cam promised, they had left in about ten minutes. The drive through the city was short and Ziva was already waiting for them.

"Mac called" she informed at the doorstep "she is going to be fifteen minutes late…so I guess we are going to start with a wine" and as the proper host, Ziva had invited the girls in with a smile.

Mac arrived twenty minutes later, but already in her civvies hungrily eying the door towards the kitchen.

"Yep, the dinner is ready, but we are dying to hear the news about the petty officer´s case" Ziva stalled intentionally.

"No problem, Not only I´m Marine, but I´m a woman, I can do two things at once, don´t worry" Mac assured.

JJ smiled "I guess you have to feed her first or we won´t find anything out"

"OK, I give up" Ziva agreed, but winked at JJ mischievously "but you don´t get to smile so smugly, you´re next on the list…we didn´t ask you anything about Hotch, because Mac specifically requested that she wanted to hear everything."

They ate in quiet for a while, but as their stomachs became full, the conversation was filling the room.

"So, Maggie, the Petty Officer Margaret Scott" Mac clarified "had her little secret, as I supposed"

"What was it?"

"About year and a half before, then Commander Carter resigned his commission, he had lost a niece. She died in wildly publicized Legionella outbreak at the kindergarten."

"That´s actually kind of sad" Cam observed.

"Well, yeah, it gets worse. Maggie lost her baby sister at the same outbreak. What the problem is, she was heavily involved in the group that publicly criticized authorities. She believed it could be prevented. Her presence on various meetings and demonstration is an undeniable fact."

"Yeah, I remember, there was almost twenty dead children and the families pressed really heavily" JJ interrupted.

"Few times it got really nasty, but Maggie claims she wasn´t at neither of the violent protest and I wasn´t able to prove otherwise." Mac continued with her story.

"But you can only hope Harm wasn´t as well" Ziva pointed out the problem.

"Tell me about it…But what bugs me the most is undeniable fact, that Maggie got Commander Carter involved in those groups. It´s fact, that she was member before him, but as the things got more violent, she backed out"

"That´s good thing, isn´t it?" Cam asked.

"Well yeah, I´ve spoken even with few former members and they all agree Maggie was anything but violent, but the fact, she introduced Carter to this community is valuable argument in hands of skilled lawyer and it points towards advanced personal involvement. You know, it´s not like you can casually everyday ask your boss to go out to demonstration with you." Mac tried to add joke, but it didn´t lighten the mood in the room by much. Especially when she continued "And Carter swears to their sexual relationship. He even claims the two of them were trying to have a baby to fill the holes in their hearts….how sick is that?"

"And what does Maggie say about that?" Ziva was trying to get more information, but she was interrupted by JJ´s not-so-innocent question.

"Oooh, did you just, well not directly but anyway, admitted that Harm is skilled lawyer?"

"Go to hell" was Mac´s only response.

"Nope, I don´t think JJ should go anywhere" Ziva smiled and she went directly for her today´s second, maybe even bigger, prey "We all want to hear about her love affair"

"Agreed, she had got us distracted for long enough" Cam as well looked at JJ mischievously.

"No backing up, girl" Mac also craved some good gossip. It was good to turn out her work troubles for a while.

"OK, so what do you want to hear" JJ gave up.

"Start with the first date, continue with good night kiss and then go for big finale with everything naughty you can think about" Ziva encouraged.

Although JJ might seem embarrassed, she wanted to share her happiness with her friends, after all they were the ones who got her through rough patch, so she went along.

"Well…the first date…so, I put on my new blue shirt, you know, Zi, the one we bought together" JJ started. Ziva smiled, it had been her way of helping her friend while she was down, she took her on shopping spree.

"You mean the one with the tiny buttons that seem to be yelling ´undo us, undo us´?" Ziva asked to be sure.

"Yep, exactly that" JJ confirmed.

"Cool, then I´m looking forward to the big finale" Mac, who accompanied her friends on few shop-expedition as well, imagined her blond friend wearing that particular piece of clothing.

"Don´t interrupt" Cam was too curious to allow even the slightest break. Although she saw JJ practically every day, she asked her about her dates only once and JJ told her to wait till they would be all together, because she was not going to tell the story more than once. All Cam could do was watch JJ changing her mood from almost-depressed to unnaturally cheery.

"So, we went to get dinner, talked a little, smile a little, he drove me home and it was over."

"If you think we are buying anything of this you are soooo not right" Ziva stated and the other two girls nodded in agreement.

JJ finally smiled, finished her wine and rested her head in her palms while she put on her dreamy-face.

"Girls, I´m so screwed" she admitted at last. "It was the best date of my life, I´ve never thought it could happen in real life. He made me lay awake in bed at night and only because he kissed me goodnight."

"Awww" Cam couldn´t help the soft moan to escape her. While the others looked at her worriedly she shrugged her shoulders "What, it´s so cute" she defended herself.

"Whatever" Mac dismissed "Now for the naughty part" she smiled and, as JJ blushed, her smile got even wider.

"OK, you´ll have to wait for the naughty part, I really need to use the bathroom" JJ excused herself.

"Coward" Ziva yelled after her, but smile never left her face. Well at least until JJ came back from bathroom. She had seriously confused look on.

"OK, what is it? Did you remember something seriously naughty?" Mac asked not suspecting anything.

"Nope, I´ve just discovered something and I´m not sure what to make of it" JJ looked like she just saw a ghost.

"She´s trying to distract us" Ziva pointed out but tried quickly revise, what the hell JJ might have seen in her bathroom.

"There´s man´s underwear in Ziva´s bathroom" JJ spilled finally.

If she was going for distraction she hit the jackpot. The looks of everyone turned to Ziva.

"Man´s underwear?" Mac asked hesitantly like she suspected JJ of making fun of them.

"I don´t know what she´s talking about, there must be some terrible mistake" Ziva tried lamely and without any success.

"Man´s underwear?" Mac repeated so quietly it was almost scary. If Ziva had made a fun of this situation, Mac could have believe the excuse, but she knew her friend, and the look Ziva had on definitely wasn´t the confused one.

"Probably some mix-up in laundry room…" Ziva tried again.

"MAN´S UNDERWEAR?" Mac said once more slowly, putting accent on the ´man´s´ part and Ziva closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I´m going to kill him, he always leaves things where they don´t belong." She whispered.

"What was that?" Mac was back in her sweet voice.

"Did I hear always?" JJ added.

"I believe you did" Cam was also using her sweet voice.

"OK, so JJ´s not the only one having a thing…" Ziva admitted. "Kill me for that"

"I just as well might. The only thing that can save you right now is very detailed story" Mac threatened.

Ziva smiled in parody of JJ´s dreamy face. "Well, do you know the stories when she says something, he says something, she yells, he yells, she hits him, he kisses her and then they are on the floor tearing clothes from each other?"

Girls just sighed in agreement; Ziva watched slightly-envious faces for a second longer and then added in completely boring voice "Well, so it was nothing like that"

Girls smiled and Mac hit slightly Ziva with a pillow she was leaning on.

"It´s not funny"

"I think it was, seeing your look was completely worth it, but now seriously. It was just days after the big bust on the Legionella case when one of the FBI techs asked me out. I´d agreed mostly to make Tony jealous, and he took the bait" this time it was Ziva to start day-dreaming.

"_Just give me a call" Ziva smiled at the tech, who´s name she wasn´t sure about._

"_You know I will" the No-Name-Tech promised and he winked at Ziva. She watched him with slight disgust as he was bragging to his coworker about getting her phone number. She has already regretted it, but with content smile on her face she pushed Tony towards their car. "Let´s go"_

"_I don´t get it" Tony stated honestly confused as he waited for Ziva to take a seat on the passenger side of the car._

"_What?" Ziva asked as she buckled her seat belt._

"_You go out with THAT kind of person" Tony wondered._

"_So?" Ziva went again with one-syllable question._

"_You´ve never gone out with me" he complained and started the car. In the sudden noise her answer wasn´t loud enough._

"_What?" this time Tony used Ziva´s style of questioning._

"_I´ve said that you had never asked" she repeated slowly._

"_You mean, you´d go out with me if I asked?"_

"_You´d have to risk it…"_

… and we drove in silence only two blocks longer. The next day we went out and I wasn´t sleeping that night either." Ziva winked at JJ "well…but we weren´t just kissing goodnight" she admitted.

**Next: How does Mac feel about it all.**


	5. The Box of IceCream

**Disclaimer: Check previous chapters.**

**A/N I hope this chapter doesn´t make Mac look bad. I just needed to get this chapter out. It´s so familiar situation for me that it just wrote itself…**

Mac arrived home at late hour. It was usual after the dinners with girls and she wouldn´t have it any other way. But today something was different and it wasn´t only because she came home all wet from the terrible weather. She hadn´t craved alcohol so much for ages. She would do anything to take off the edge.

She changed to comfortable sweats, but she wasn´t ready to go to bed. She snuggled on her couch and opened a huge box of an ice cream. She was glad she had been over her alcohol-phase. At least she wouldn´t have hangover in the morning, she thought as she dug zealously to the ice cream.

Half a box later, she couldn´t even look at the ice cream anymore. Instead she watched the raindrops on the window. She let her thoughts to wander freely. Life just wasn´t fair. She knew she was being petty, but she couldn´t help feeling hurt. She was happy for JJ, she knew that if anyone of her friends deserved to be happy it was her. JJ was strong, no doubt there, but she was the most sensitive of them all. And, well, the fact that she knew it was coming for some time didn´t hurt either.

Ziva was completely different case. Not that Mac didn´t wish her complete happiness in life as well. She just found Ziva so much similar to her that she guessed they were probably both stay single and complaining at their respective coworkers even after their retirements. It was not going to happen now. When it came to Tony, Ziva was a keeper. Mac knew she was going to babysit for the two of them in no time.

´Enough of that´ Mac thought as she reached once more for the ice-cream box. She was going to be happy for her friends tomorrow. Today, she was just another slightly depressed person. Tonight she might have been a lot of not flattering things, but she wasn´t one thing: a quitter. With new determination she dug the spoon once more to the ice cream. She was going to beat that box.

The morning found Mac uncomfortably curled on the couch, but surprisingly well rested. She still had terrible sweet taste in her mouth and she realized she had just fallen asleep without as much as brushing her teeth.

In the great mood she woke up into she went straight towards bathroom. She had a lot work to do today, but she needed some serious cheering up before. As she realized her stomach was still full of ice cream, she decided it wasn´t going to be anything food-related. The idea came to her as she was combing her hair. One phone call set her up for late morning in nearby shooting range. Nothing cheers Marine more than scoring few perfect targets. Without checking her watch she knew she had more than two hours left. She reached for her jogging clothes. She might as well do something about the ice cream.

After more than hour Mac realized she had run two miles more then was her habit. Easing on the speed she decided to do one more to relax the muscle little bit. She was almost back at her car when the familiar voice stopped her.

"Tired already, Colonel?" Harm stood nearby, warming up before his run.

"Nope, but I have appointment at the shooting range in 43 minutes and I really need shower"

"Shooting range? Someone had to seriously piss you off" Harm was trying mostly do make fun of her, but he didn´t miss the milliseconds long hurt look in her eyes.

"Yep, I have innocent girl wrongfully accused of terrible crimes on my hands, that usually pisses me off" she made fun back angry at herself for even momentary hesitation.

"You are barking on wrong tree, don´t forget I´m the prosecutor" he smiled at her.

"And you have never been wrong before, Mr. Perfect" she decided that the teasing-route was the most safe one.

"OK, if you want to play this card…I wasn´t going to spoil your weekend, but I have a couple of very strong witnesses supporting the idea of the physical relationship between your Petty Officer and Mr. Carter.

"You don´t want to go down that route" Mac countered back. Harm knew that look.

"Do you know something, Mac?" he asked carefully.

"That´s for me to know and for you to find out, Mr. Prosecutor" Mac was glad she was getting out of this duel as a winner and couldn´t stop adding "The court starts on Wednesday, right?"

This time it was Harm´s turn to hesitate before answering and Mac has time to finish stretching her muscles. As Harm realized she was going to left, he called after her.

"Do you want to get a dinner tonight?" he didn´t know where it came from, it just seemed to came out of its own will. He as well had work planned for the evening.

"I´m working tonight, but if you promise not to talk about the case, I´ll let you buy me a lunch"

"You´ve got yourself a deal, Ma´am" Harm winked at her. She smiled at him and quickly suggested time and place.

As Mac sat back in her car she smiled at her reflection in rearview mirror. It was much better than sitting in home alone just eating. And maybe, after Ziva´s example, it was her time to find some happiness. Maybe she wasn´t destined to became bitter old lady caring only for her own fat cat…or dog, in her case.

.oOo.

It was Monday afternoon till Mac contacted her friends. To her credit, she didn´t do it on purpose, it just happened. She was way over the feelings that ambushed her unprepared on Friday night.

As she sat to her computer, she noticed that there was a lively chat going on. She was sipping coffee and as she realized that she didn´t even went to get a lunch today, so she decided she deserved a short break. She joined the conversation and was warmly welcomed.

´_Look who´s here! We thought, we weren´t good enough for you anymore_´ Ziva pointed out Mac´s days lasting silence rather boldly.

´_Mac, finally, another uncoupled soul! Thank God_´ Cam´s greetings were rather enthusiastic and Mac with shame realized she had completely forgot about Cam on that terrible Friday night. Cam had been part of their circle for some time now and Mac hadn´t realized she was staying single as well.

´_Don´t worry, we can beat the Dark Side now, the strengths were equaled_´ Mac supported her friend.

´_Oh, c´mon, we weren´t that bad_´ Ziva defended herself as she noticed JJ was for some reason suddenly offline and she was in disadvantage.

´_Well, let´s see if I remember right: the long Saturday night, the breakfast straight to the bed, the movie night on Sunday and the coffee and muffins on Monday. And let´s not forget the flowers on your desk this morning_´

Cam summarized the conversation she had with Ziva and JJ during the last few days.

´_Awww, that´s terrible. Sorry, Cam, I promise I won´t leave you alone with the two of them anymore_´ Mac was sympathetic towards her friend.

´_The flowers were JJ´s_´ Ziva wrote simultaneously. ´_Tony never buys me flowers_´

´_Oooooh, you little poor thing, how awful it is not to be getting flowers_´ Mac did her best to sound overly-condescending, because she knew that Ziva would take it as a joke. Before Ziva could react, JJ joined back the conversation.

´_Sorry, I had to make little thank-you-a-lot-for-the-flowers phone call_´ JJ wrote and Ziva could almost hear Mac and Cam growling at their computers. ´_Where were we?_´ JJ added.

Ziva took the chance ´_We were trying to find out, what Mac did whole weekend that she didn´t have the time to write_.´

´_Yep, that´s a good question. I bet she has a secret boyfriend as well. She wouldn´t be first, right, Ziva?´_ JJ caught up. Ziva thought she was never to hear the end of this, but decided to leave it uncommented. Better not to turn the attention back towards herself.

´_Sorry, Mac, but I´m with them on that one_´ Cam agreed.

´_I guess I deserved it_´ Mac conceded ´_But I have to disappoint you, there´s no boyfriend in the story_´

´_We want to hear it anyway, you had your cellphone off on Saturday afternoon, I called you_´ JJ complained.

´_I went shooting and I forgot to turn it back on_´ Mac admitted.

´_The whole day?´_JJ wondered.

´_I turned it on in the afternoon, but I came home later than I planned so I didn´t pay attention to missed calls, sorry_´

´_What caused that delay?´_ Ziva questioned further.

´_Girls, you are worse that Spanish inquisition_´ Mac smiled to the screen, she knew they were just curious, she´d be as well.

´_She´s avoiding answer_´ Ziva pointed out.

´_OK, so I had lunch with Harm, so what…´_Mac finally admitted.

´_We know, JJ saw you and informed us. And with your phone off_…´ Cam took pity on Mac and explained what was going on.

´_Great, and you couldn´t just ask_´ Mac wondered, but was rather resigned in this case.

´_Nope, we were curious how long would it take for you to tell us. So, what´s happened? How´s the case going?´ _Ziva investigate further.

´_I believe the case is going rather great, I´ve almost finished my preparation on Saturday_´

´_Don´t tell me you´d spent your Saturday lunch with Harm talking work_…´ JJ was seriously shocked, nowadays all she could see were tiny hearts everywhere.

´_Nope, not a word_….´ Mac wrote only this on purpose. The questions followed immediately

´_Did you talk at all or did you had something else to do?_´ Ziva couldn´t help herself.

´_That´s grouse_´ surprisingly enough, JJ came to Mac´s aid ´_I´ve told you I saw them entering a restaurant, what do you think they were doing?_´

´_OK, I was just fishing_…´ Ziva gave up. ´_So what were you doing after lunch_´

´_I went home, ALONE. I had some documents to read through for the Wednesday hearing_´

´_That leave us with whole Sunday unaccounted for_´ Cam joined the teasing.

´_Nope, Sunday was Chloe´s day_´ Ziva wrote the truth not realizing it was great opportunity for Mac to change the topic.

´_Her father was in town with some work issues and he let us have the whole Sunday, the girl´s amazing_´ Mac immediately took the chance. Surprisingly the others took the bait.

´_I´d love to see her, you should have told us_´ Cam complained.

´_Sorry, but she was all mine, we did all the girlie stuff we usually do together and finished it with huge box of ice cream. Too bad she had to leave in the evening. I rarely see her now_.´

´_She must be all grown up now_´

´_Don´t even tell me, next time she will be visiting, even my Marine training won´t be enough to keep all the horny teenage boys away from her. Yesterday, as we went shopping, someone whistled at her at least five times_´

´_Maybe they were after you_´ Ziva teased.

´_It would be the first time_´ Mac commented self-depreciatively.

´_I know at least one guy who definitely after you_´ Ziva added.

´_Don´t start again_´ Mac was getting tired of such comments.

´_OK, girls, back to your corners_´ Cam interrupted the usual argument between the two friends ´_All Mac has left to explain is why she didn´t response to my call this morning and we are still without any proof_´ she innocently took Ziva´s side.

´_I´ve spent whole morning with Harm in his office…WORKING! It´s exactly what we all should do right now, so I´m going to turn off my IM program, goodbye_.´

And she did as she threatened.

´_Maybe we pushed too much_´ JJ hesitated.

´_Oh, c´mon, even blind person would see the two of them have a thing…They are both so stubborn_.´ Ziva stayed on the track.

´_Well, yeah, but what we could do about it?´_ Cam asked the right question ´_and honestly, I don´t mind that much not being the only one single. It´s bad enough to be the only one without the male-femme-fatal_´ she added with smiley face.

´_Don´t worry, sweetheart, I have just the right person for you in mind, just let us deal with Mac first, you are next on the list_´ Ziva threatened further.

´_I love you girls, seriously, I do…But I liked you much better when you were single male-haters_´ Cam admitted and to add meaning to her words she log off.

´_I don´t see what´s their problem is, are we that much changed_´ JJ wondered honestly.

´_Definitely not…sorry, have to go, Tony wants me to help him_´ and as Ziva log off hastily JJ had to admit, they were changed. Maybe even a lot. But one thing she knew for sure, the four of them were friends and not a single man or all men in the world could ever stand between them.

**Next: I guess we go to court...**


	6. The Sensitive Topic

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

On the Tuesday night Mac sat comfortably on her couch with laptop on her legs. She was making the last review to her opening statement. Or at least she told herself so. For the last three hours she mostly stared on the screen not really reading what was on it. She sipped yet another cup of coffee. When she noticed it was after midnight, she decided to turn off the computer and go to sleep. But before she had the chance to do so, message from Cam appeared on her screen.

´_What are you doing still awake? You should get good night sleep before it starts_´

´_I was just about to, but you´ve stopped me_´

´_Stopped you from what_´ Ziva was till now logged on as invisible.

´_Why are you invisible_?´ Mac asked curiously.

´_I guess Tony´s still on-line, right_´ JJ invisible as well joined the conversation.

´_Yep_´ Ziva answered ´_Hotch´s also still working, right_´

´_What does any of this had to do with you two being invisible?´ _Mac still craved some answer. It was good to employ her mind with something else than the hearing.

´_Well, I´ve found out that the Legionella case is still very sensitive topic_´ Ziva admitted.

´_Yeah, yesterday I´ve accidentally mentioned in front of Hotch that I believe Petty Officer to be innocent and he called me crazy, seriously... so, now I´m playing offended and I´m waiting for apology_´ JJ wrote.

´_Damn, I´ve known I should have played it better, Tony reacted in similar way, so I´ve told him to shut up and not to mention things he knows nothing about_´ Ziva described her usual straight-forward way.

´_Yep, leave it to Ziva to act in girlish way, Tony might be glad you didn´t smack him with some files_´ Cam teased.

_´I´ve used my bag, it was handier:-)_´ Ziva came out with the whole truth.

´_Too bad for you, JJ is up for flowers and chocolates and you are up to healing man´s hurt ego_´ Mac warned.

.oOo.

And then the Wednesday morning was there. Cam arrived to the JAG HQ an hour before the start of the first session. She wasn´t quite sure about what lawyers did before their cases, but she was willing to risk whatever it was. Ever since Ziva and JJ involved themselves in relationships, Cam felt even stronger comradely towards Mac.

Finding a way towards Mac´s office took Cam a while, but when she knocked on the doors and saw her friend, she was glad she decided to get up earlier that morning.

"I guess you are kind of nervous" Cam greeted and Mac almost dragged her into the office and locked the doors behind her, but not before she managed to throw one quick look towards tightly closed door of Harm´s office.

"He came to work actually whistling and I think he knows something I don´t" Mac explained.

"You are paranoid" Cam reprimanded "have you thought about the possibility he just wants to make you nervous"

Mac stopped nervous pacing and looked at Cam with hatred in her eyes.

"He wouldn´t" she breathed out.

"He´s a guy" Cam pointed out simply "he would"

"Son of the…" Mac started but calmed herself with surprising ease. The years of training paid off and she put professional smile on her face.

"He had just sign his own death warrant" Mac threatened and with the professional smile on her face she looked really dangerously.

Another knock on the door interrupted any further possible threats.

"Come in" Mac called. Ziva entered all smile and shiny.

"How are you this morning, do you have your killer mojo on?"

"Finally I do and I can´t wait" Mac answered and Ziva smiled, satisfied with her friend´s attitude.

"That´s the way I love you the most"

And then another knock interrupted them.

Immediately after ´Come in´ JJ danced in

"Damn, and I thought I was being supportive…I was so proud of my idea"

"Yeah, but you were otherwise engaged in the morning so you came later then you planned" Cam observed.

"Nope, well, yes" JJ mumbled "I wanted to come earlier, but I stuck in traffic" she clarified.

"So you are still playing offended?" Mac asked.

"Well, girl have to go after whatever she could get" JJ pointed out innocently.

And they all smiled. When they stopped after a while Mac put on serious face

"Thank you girls, really, it´s good to have such a great friends"

"We know" JJ said "and now let´s go or we will be late"

"Calm down, we still have thirteen minutes. But let ´s go, we should find you good seats, so you can enjoy the show".

.oOo.

The court started in the usual way. The Prosecution took the charge and Harm built his case pretty strongly, inviting a lot of witnessing swearing to strong relationship between Maggie and then Commander Carter as did the man in question himself, cockily describing some disgusting moments of the affair, unnaturally rejoicing in the sexual component of the relationship. Even if the relationship hadn´t been unlawful itself in its time, it was throwing a bad light on the defense plan.

Mac was simply professional during the whole day. She started with the opening statement trying not to play on emotions right away. The emotions had their place in the defense she had planned, but it would take some time to introduce them properly. Today she stuck only to objections when Harm pushed too far and to shooting holes in the witness statements.

The only thing that surprised Harm was Mac seemingly backing off from interviewing Mr. Carter by asking for opportunity to question him at later time, but he didn´t wink or do any other gesture that could reveal his hesitation.

When the Judge adjourned the court till the next day, Mac had full head of ideas how to make her case better and completely bulletproof.

The Petty Officer on the other hand was a ruin. It´s hard to listen whole day as someone is trying to discredit you without the possibility of proper intervention. All Mac could do, when the guard came to take Maggie back to custody, was to assure her, that it didn´t go as bad as it seemed. As Mac watched her client go, she decided to make a phone call to her in the evening, just to make sure she was okay.

**Next: Cam has some tricks up her sleeve **


	7. Guilty as charged

**Disclaimer: Pitifully, still not mine.**

When Mac was dealing with Maggie, girls went outside to wait for her. They thought about getting late lunch together, when Ziva´s phone started ringing. She made few steps away and discussed something in quite agitated way and when she finished she let out an angry roar.

"I´m sorry girls" Ziva apologized "It looks like I have to go buy some take-out and get back to the office. Apparently, it is what you get for hitting the Senior Field agent with your backpack"

Cam smiled "You should really take some hints from JJ"

"Yep" JJ bragged "this morning a found a huge please-forgive-me bouquet on my desk."

"Really, they were beautiful" Cam agreed "but wait till you hear about the card"

"What card?" Ziva wondered slightly envious.

"The one attached to flowers…you know, the one saying I´m going for romantic spa-weekend next month" JJ bragged shamelessly.

"It´s not fair, how come you get flowers and spa weekends and I get stuck with take-outs…"

"Next time, try to leave your bag on the floor and add a hurt look to the mixture, if you manage to squeeze out a tear or two, you are on the best way towards flowers" JJ instructed.

"I´m going to work on it…Tony is not going to know what hit him…and this time I don´t mean it literally" Ziva explained as he had notice JJ´s shocked expression.

Ziva went away after her chores and JJ decided it was best for her to go as well. She was going to skip lunch, so she could leave early and catch Hotch in the office in the evening and put on her best I-think-I-can-forgive-you-this-one-last-time act.

Cam stayed alone in the corridor. At first she thought about getting ride with JJ, but then decided she was hungry and she didn´t have a prospect of free diner in front of her. She was so startled by her phone ringing that she dropped it. Before she could bend down to pick it up, someone did it for her.

"Thank you, Agent…" Cam realized she had seen this man with the BAU team, but she couldn´t put name to the face.

"David Rossi" he introduced himself smiling as he was handing her back the cellphone.

She smiled at him back automatically and as he didn´t seem to be going anyway, she decided to start conversation.

"I didn´t notice you in there, I thought the BAU team wasn´t supposed to be here"

"I see. So, you information channels still work" he observed.

"Well, it´s just a girl talk" Cam answered and she realized the conversation was starting to be anything but impersonal. The more she was grateful for his direct answer.

"We were all interested in the result and as our media liaison left us some time ago" he didn´t bother to try and hide the allusion "I decided to go enjoy myself with bit of legal banter"

"And what do you think now?" Cam asked but continued with one breath "AND I´m NOT giving JJ up. Your loss is my huge gain, she´s priceless"

"We are all terribly aware of JJ´s price…some of us more than the other" he reacted to Cam´s praise of JJ with smug smile and then continued the discussion about the case "I think the prosecution staged a great show, but the defense was awfully calm, I´m afraid the Colonel has some triumphs hidden safely" he studied Cam´s expression for a while and then added "And it looks like you know exactly what they are"

"Damn, I don´t wonder JJ complained about working with profilers" Cam said and unwillingly changed her expression and all she managed to do on such short time was embarrassment.

"She did? So why is she now dating one?" Rossi continued with slight allusion, but to his credit he didn´t comment on Cam´s expression.

Cam searched for right answer that would gain her some points in this duel for a while and then just resigned

"Oh, damn you, ask her if you are really so curious" she attacked and as he smiled victoriously she started to back out, cursing him without words.

"I´d rather go check what´s taking Mac so long, we are going to get something to eat" Cam tried to excuse herself.

"Too bad" Rossi stated self-confidently, "I was hoping to take you out for lunch…maybe another time" and he made his famous leave-them-begging-for-more departure.

As Cam made one more step back shaking her head in disbelief, she didn´t pay proper attention to her surroundings and she hit someone. Before she had even opportunity to realize who it was, she had noticed a lot of files spread all over the floor. With mumbled excuses she bent down and started to pick them up.

Immediately the person was down with her. Only then she noticed he was wearing an uniform and it took her one more look to recognize the Admiral.

With renewed force she started her apologies and was praying that Mac would never find out she had attacked her boss.

When they finally both stood up and he took possession over all the files, he looked at her properly.

"I know you, you are one of Mac´s friend, from the Legionella case"

"Guilty as charged" Cam didn´t know why she used the expression she had heard Mac using so many times.

He smiled "I see, being around lawyers had its side-effects"

"You have no idea…" she breathed out and his smile became even wider.

"But you don´t look like you are complaining" he observed keenly.

"It´s because I´m not. It´s good thing to widen your horizons" Cam answered truthfully and she didn´t notice the content smile that spread on the man´s face.

"It´s good to finally meet you…." The Admiral decided it was safe to start the aquitance officially.

"Cam…I mean Dr. Saroyan, Camille Saroyan" Cam was shocked that she automatically went for the informal introduction, although the circumstances were anything but.

"Would you like to go get something to eat, Cam?" he decided to ignore the formal title she gave him after consideration.

"I´m sorry I have plans" Cam admitted and realized she might even regret missing the opportunity.

"Maybe another time, then" the Admiral didn´t give up and with slight nod goodbye went after his work.

Cam looked at the Admiral as he walked away. She shook her head. Two date invitations in less than ten minutes. She rocked. Too bad she couldn´t tell her friends. If JJ would be OK with her dating her former coworker and her boyfriend best-friend, Mac would definitely kill her for dating her boss.

**Next: Can guys keep a secret?**


	8. The Rich Ones

**Disclaimer: The usual**

Cam might have craved to keep a secret, but she had learnt the hard way, that men weren´t capable of it. Early in the evening she was on her computer, mindlessly browsing the news on the internet, when her IM beeped with received message. She still didn´t have an idea what kind of danger she had found herself in, when she had read Ziva´s message

´_I have to practice tears, when I came back with the take-out, they just asked me, where the coffee is and I had to go out again…_´

´_You should have spill the coffee in the take-outs_´ Cam joked.

´_Why didn´t I think about it_…´ Ziva wondered and seemed to be seriously considering that option. Before Cam had an opportunity to ask about how seriously Ziva had meant it, the NCIS agent continued.

´_Btw, what the hell did you do to Mac_?´

Cam was glad that Ziva couldn´t see her guilty expression.

_´Nothing that I know of… Why_?´

´_Just minutes ago I got message from her asking about the most painful way of killing someone_´ Ziva explained.

´_What does any of it have to with me_´ Cam still hoped it was another of Ziva and Mac´s not-so-funny-for-outsiders joke.

´_There was something about not leaving forensic evidence, because the person in question was her friend and boss of scientific institution_´

If Cam had any chance of getting Ziva off the right track, Mac logging on back again deprived her of any hopes.

´_Don´t act so innocently, you boss-seducing-friendship-pretending creature_´ Mac wrote and the anger was obvious in every single word.

´_OK, I´m not admitting anything…..but how on earth do you know it?´_ Cam asked cautiously.

´_HE ASKED ME FOR YOUR PHONE NUMBER_!´ At that answer Cam was glad that Mac wasn´t seated next to her. It might have been dangerous. As she was alone, Cam had the opportunity to close her eyes, shook the head in disbelief as she muttered to herself ´leave it to guys to make your day….´

´_Who did? What happened? Girls, I´m lost here_!´ Ziva liked the way it was going. It seriously looked like one very tasty piece of gossip.

´_My boss, the Admiral, came this afternoon to my office and asked me if I´d give him phone number of my friend Cam. Apparently, they had some lovely chat after the court session and he´d like to get to know her_.´ it might have seem, that Mac was calming a bit, but the next message convinced them otherwise.

´WE WERE EATING LUNCH TOGETHER AND YOU DIDN´T MENTION IT, NOT A WORD!´

´_Calm down and stop using capitals, it´s scary_´ Cam started rationally. ´_I didn´t tell you anything because there wasn´t anything to tell and I knew you would react like this. Seriously, how would you like to be making scene in your work place_?´

´_OK, I give you that one_´ Mac conceded after short pause. ´_And I may even not kill you if you tell me what happened for real_´

´_Well, I was still quite dashed because of what happened with Rossi_´ Cam wrote not realizing her mistake.

´_Rossi? You have no shame…Are you going after every bachelor of do you pick only the rich ones?´ _Ziva joined the conversation enjoying it more and more.

´_Wait till JJ finds out. She is going to hold you down while I´ll be killing you_´ Mac continued with the threats.

With sigh, Cam described what happened on the corridor in front of the court room with as much detail as she could remember. It paid off.

´_Damn, I was going to be seriously pissed, but how can I? You´ve declined two offer of free food to be lunching with m_e´ Mac appreciated her friend´s sacrifice.

´_Shame, I was looking forward for some serious fighting_´ Ziva seconded.

´_Sorry to disappoint you all_´ Cam was glad it was turning out the good way.

´_Anyway, do you want me to give the Admiral your phone number?_´Mac asked finally seriously.

´_You haven´t yet_?´ Cam wondered.

´_I´ve told him I had to check with you first. I might want to kill you , but there are still some rules to the woman-comradely_´

´_Well, then don´t. If he´s really interested, he can do it personally tomorrow after you destroy Harm_.´

´_Flattery will get you anywhere, right, Dr. Saroya_n?´ Mac teased, but finally quite friendly.

´_That obvious?´_Cam reacted.

´_Not that much, but I know all your tricks_´

.oOo.

JJ knew she was running late. Cam had told her yesterday to get to the JAG office the first thing in the morning, but she needed to check on her Jeffersonian work first. Sometimes she really hated to be so meticulous with everything she did.

And of course recent distraction in form of her former boss didn't add to her confidence in the quality of her work. And to it all, after last night, there was no wonder she had overslept a bit. The problem was she hated to miss any second of public Harm-humiliation.

As she rushed past security she checked her watch once more and had to keep herself from starting to run.

Yesterday, Mac had taken them to the court room and now JJ was little bit lost. She stopped undecided by the elevator, when she saw familiar face going towards her. She recognized Mac´s boss immediately and was little bit surprised he recognized her as well.

"Agent Jareau, if I'm not mistaken..."

"Not anymore" she blurted not really realizing what she was saying.

"Oh, I didn't you were getting married" he smiled at her.

"Not that, I'm still Jareau, but not agent anymore..." she didn't know how to explain it, but this man always made her feel like she should salute to him. And even though Mac talked very warmly about him sometimes, JJ couldn´t get herself to think about him in simply human way. JJ wasn´t slacker herself, but he seemed to be all work and no play.

"If you are going to the court room, this is the fastest way" he let her enter first into the elevator.

"Thank you, sir" she finally got a hold on herself and gave him charming smile. "I got lost here" she decided to play the naïve blonde act. Sometimes, it really paid off.

"So, why not agent anymore?" he stayed on the topic JJ would prefer they'd avoided.

"It's long story, but it ended with the Legionella case." she tried to get him off the track.

"But I was led to believe you and Cam, I mean Dr. Saroyan, helped agent David and our Mac to solve the case" he seemed truthfully concerned.

"You know what they say 'Every good deed must be rightfully punished'" JJ was so uncomfortable she didn´t really notice the accent he put on the part of the sentence concerning Cam.

"Yep, I've heard that one before"

"So, which way now?" she tried to change the subject once more, this time the Admiral caught the meaning and without further delay he led the way towards doors guarded by a young marine, who went immediately to attention and soundlessly let the couple in.

JJ meant to took one of the seats by the door, but Admiral went boldly towards the judge's stand and she decided to take that chance. As they reached second row their ways parted. Just like yesterday, Admiral took the seat behind the Prosecution stand showing that way support for Harm. With quiet curses towards all men, JJ sat next to Ziva.

Luckily she was there just in time for the big show. The NCIS forensic scientist was on stand.

**Next: Abby on the stand**


	9. No Way in Hell

**Disclaimer: Neither one of the shows in my story belong to me**

Mac was nervous at first about Abby on witness stand, but only till Cam explained her everything about primers, sequences and other stuff. Then she started to believe that although Abby was Harm´s witness, Mac could gain some points from her testimony. JJ shifted to more comfortable position and just started to enjoy herself.

"So, miss Sciuto" Harm was examining the witness but he mostly put the show for the Jury "You run quite a large laboratory yourself"

JJ realized she probably missed some of the interview, but she didn't have any trouble catching up.

"Yes" Abby answered visibly not feeling very comfortable on the witness stand. JJ noticed the scientist wasn't wearing her usual little unconventional clothes. She guessed that was what made her mostly uncomfortable.

"So, you don't have some kind of assistant to take care of paperwork, orders and other boring necessities?" Harm led the interview further.

"No, you see, I don't have the best experience with strangers in my lab" and something in her voice made JJ realize it wasn't just some smart-ass answer to over-zealous lawyer. Ziva noticed JJ curiosity and with silent promise 'later' they both returned to listening what was going on.

"Oh, but I meant some administrative help, like Petty Officer there" Harm nodded towards defendant stand "not to be working in lab, just to help you with your orders and reports. It must be pretty time consuming, keeping your lab fully equipped"

"Are you kidding?" Abby reacted violently and by the content smile on Harm's face girls realized it was the reaction he was going for. "There's no way you can give that job just to anybody. It's not like running an office where it doesn't matter if you order blue or black pens, it's very precise job and you have to know what you are looking for. It's too time consuming to train someone."

"I can conclude than, that Petty Officer must have known what she was doing" Harm pointed out like it almost didn´t matter.

"Objection, Your Honor" Mac jumped in "The witness can't possibly know the Petty Officer's abilities."

"Sustained" the Judge supported Mac.

"I'll rephrase then." Harm didn't lose a beat "In your experience, do you think that someone doing an ordering for a lab should have some knowledge about what was going in there?"

"Not some, considerable amount of such" Abby supported that statement.

"Thank you. I have no further questions, Your Honor" Harm smiled at Abby and sat down.

"Colonel?" the Judge gave Mac an opportunity to question the witness and she stood up, taking a piece of paper with her.

"Miss Sciuto" Mac started and JJ had to admire the way Mac behaved herself. Every single detail of her posture yelled professionalism and every slightest movement had its meaning.

Mac walked towards witness stand, put piece of paper in front of Abby and made two steps to the side. She stopped exactly on the spot she didn´t cover Abby from the Jury, the Judge or the crowd.

"Can you look at this document and tell the court, what do you see?"

Abby took just a minute.

"I guess it´s ordering list for laboratory equipment and some reagents"

Mac produced another copy in folder containing similar documents, asked judge to involve it in evidence. Mac explained it was one of many from the time Maggie was making orders for Commander Carter´s lab.

"Now, Miss Sciuto, can you take closer look at that list and tell us, what do you think about it. It´s a list the Petty Officer made at the request of her former boss, Commander Carter, when he was starting new series of experiments. It should be list covering the basic needs of the laboratory." Mac again gave Abby some space as she read through the file more carefully.

"OK, so supposing it is the list for new experiment, there´s a serious bunch of stuff missing, like here, I see PCR polymerase, the matching buffer, but without MgCl2, but no magnesium separately…it´s seriously weird. Then, there´s a pipette but completely nonmatching tips and I don´t like the primers, the forward and reverse are the same, just the reverse is written from end to the start. I´d have to check with the sequence they were meant for, but I´d call it, well, not impossible, but really, really improbable. And it just goes on, nonmatching buffer for some enzymes, imbalanced quantities of various reagents, wrong medium for selected bacterial strains and it is just very quick look." Although quite hard to follow, Abby left no doubt for anyone watching that she knew what she was talking about.

During Abby´s speech, which was getting more and more agitated and almost turning to Abby´s usual babbling, Mac stayed calmly on her spot, listening like she had no idea what the lab tech was talking about. When Abby finished, Mac waited few seconds to let Abby´s words sink in and then asked.

"Based on the document in front of you, what would you think about person that made it?"

"That it was someone who had no idea about how a lab is working. He or she had some instruction about what was needed, but it lacks any touch of experienced lab-worker."

"Objection, Your Honor, the witness can´t determine who is and who isn´t experienced lab worker." Harm reacted.

"Overruled, Commander, it is your witness and you have brought Miss Sciuto here as an expert. And the Colonel asks valid questions" The Judge´s answer made Harm sit gloomily.

"Continue, Colonel" The Judge encouraged Mac to continue and she gladly did.

"I have just one last question for the witness" Mac announced "Miss Sciuto, can you imagine person like this working in yours or for that matter any kind of laboratory"

The answer that came was quick and resolute and in Abby´s style.

"No way in hell"

"Thank you, that´s all" Mac came back to the defense table, sat comfortably and was getting ready for the final hit.

"The witness is dismissed" the Judge ordered "Commander, do you have any other witness?"

"No, your honor" Harm answered trying to cover the fact that one of his expert witnesses helped the defense considerably.

"After short recess you can start to build your case, Colonel"

**Next: This time it´s Maggie´s turn on the stand**


	10. Friends with Benefits

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

In fifteen minutes the court room was again crowded. The defense was starting her show. In fact, Mac had started already with Abby´s unintentional help. She started from there. She had a witness supporting Maggie´s lack of any biological education, the other couple of witnesses came from the support group of the Legionella outbreak that brought Maggie and Mr. Carter together. They both swore to Maggie´s lack of any violent tendencies and they both had a story or two to prove it. Also, they both denied any possibility of Maggie and Mr. Carter´s relationship. They held their own even under Harm´s sneaky questioning. Mac was glad that her hard work was paying off.

After the witness statement of Maggie´s former coworker, who remembered Maggie´s troubles at the beginning of her assignment at the Petri dish, Mac was just about ready to call her client on the stand.

.oOo.

The questioning of Maggie went the way Mac wanted it to. Maggie was completely natural and Mac knew that the terrified look she had on was real. But it all played in her cards and Mac was sure that even if she had couched Maggie to act this way it wouldn´t have any better results. She felt that the female Chief Petty Officer on the Jury was just about ready to go and hug the scared defendant. The Jury was turning her way.

Mac made few steps in front of the jury´s box having her arms folded behind her. Someone had told her it made her seem relaxed, just like she was doing it all for fun. But right now she felt that way for real. She knew she had her case built pretty well. Now, she was just going to take credit for that. There was one last prosecution´s witness that needed to be discredited.

"So, Petty Officer" she turned to the scared creature seated at the witness stand "you claim you had no personal relationship with Mr Carter."

"No, ma'am. Well, I liked to think we were friends, but nothing beyond." Maggie answered with her usual honest demeanor.

"Nothing further, Your Honor, but after the prosecution cross-examination I'd like to recall Mr Carter to the stand." Mac announced and before she walked back to the defense stand she gave Maggie one encouraging smile. One way or another, it was going to be over soon.

"Noted." The Judge agreed "Commander, you may proceed"

"Thank you, Your Honor" Harm stood up getting ready to get his case back. The Petty Officer on the stand seemed like easy target. He still wondered why on earth Mac called that girl to the stand. She didn´t bring anything new to defense´s case, maybe little emotions, but now she seemed to be just waiting there to be eaten by lions. He had completely forgotten about Mac´s warning from this weekend of not going there.

"How would you define friend, Petty Officer" Harm started.

"Well, I can recite to you some definitions, but I´d go with the fact is the person you can trust" Maggie answered still nervously, but the answer was educated and right on spot, Harm made mental note to go more carefully and decided for straight attack.

"And what about friends with benefits?" he asked and his tone didn´t betray how malicious was the question

Maggie hesitated and started to play nervously with her watch.

"I guess it´s about two people having sexual relationship without exclusivity" Again, the answer wasn´t given with the self-assurance that would made it sound arrogant, but it was answer Harm had hard time going from.

"Well put, Petty Officer" he admitted "now tell us, were you ever involved in that kind of relationship?"

Maggie threw one unsure look at Mac. She didn´t know why anyone would ask her such questions, but she did, what Mac had told her to do, she told the truth with as little comment as she could.

"I have" Maggie admitted.

"And is that how you would describe your relationship with Mr. Carter" Harm continued with his attack.

"No, sir, we were just friends, without any benefits" Maggie protested vigorously. It made Ziva smile. She watched the trial quietly, but now couldn´t help and whisper to JJ "If Tony doesn´t stop with the take-out crap, I´ll cut off his benefits"

JJ chuckled but shhhshed her friend immediately as she was listening to the interview.

"You say then" Harm continued "that you never had a sex with Mr Carter?"

"Yes, sir, I mean, no, I haven´t had sex with Mr. Carter" Maggie was getting tired and consecutively less alert, Mac could tell. Although this slight mix-up was nothing, she had hope Harm would finish shortly.

"But you have just admitted to us, that you have no issues with sex without any feelings. And there's no way to prove your statement. It's not like it would leave any mark on you." as Mac suspected, Harm was trying to make fun of her client, ridiculing her. He was playing for the jury.

"Not on me, but it would on the other person" Maggie said quietly, but slowly so anyone could hear properly. If Mac could, she´d go and kiss her client. It couldn´t get out better even if they had planned the whole interview.

"It would what?" Harm let out involuntarily. He didn´t use to ask questions he didn´t know the answers to, but right now he haven´t even asked question at all. The hit came from nowhere.

"Leave mark on him" Maggie´s voice was becoming more and more confident. Mac knew it was here. She put down her pen and comfortably leaned on her chair. She was going to enjoy this moment for long time.

"Like what?" Harm was still playing for the jury but Mac knew him and she recognized the slight signs of his nervousness.

"I'm Hep B positive. It's something I carry with me since high school. I was far more stupid back then. You know, the friends with benefits crap" Mac bit her lip to hold the calm face on. Seriously, her client was mocking Harm. She loved her. Even if by some wicked twist of faith Maggie was found guilty, she´d be the first one to bake her cakes with metal saw inside.

"Anyway, the disease is in so called chronic stage." Maggie continued not really noticing the sensation she had created. "It's not having effect on me, but I'm still contagious. And Hep B is transmitted by sexual contact. And if two people had so rich sexual life, like Mr. Carter described yesterday, there´s almost certainty the healthy person would get infected"

The murmur in the courtroom was exactly the reaction Mac was looking for. She knew Maggie had made the impression they had both craved and all she should do now, was take credit for that.

Harm hesitated.

"I´d like to ask for recess, Your Honor. It is new evidence for the Prosecution and I´d like some time to work with it" he admitted the defeat and needed some time to minimalize the effects.

The Judge called Mac and Harm for sidebar. Mac hope she didn´t look too condescending as she took her place in front of the judge stand.

"How much time do you need, Commander?" The Judge asked.

"Day or two, Your Honor. I´d like to talk to Mr. Carter about few things and then I´d like to get experts opinions about the Hepatitis B"

"Oh, I have one expert witness on my list" Mac jumped in "I´m sure he could enlighten us all on that disease"

"Your witness will be heard, Colonel" the Judge reprimanded Mac and she bite her lips. There´s no way she was going to lose this case because of some smart-ass comments "but the Commander has a right to investigate on his own. I grant him a day recess, but in this time I´d have the defendant and Mr. Carter tested by the court appointed specialists.

"Thank you, Your Honor" Harm answered.

"Dismissed" the Judge had sent them away before announcing the recess till the next day.

**Next: The defeat**


	11. Too Good to Be True

**Disclaimer: Check on whichever previous chapter you choose.**

The next day Harm was almost late. As he walked towards the Prosecution stand, Mac knew she had won. She didn´t know how devastating her victory was until the Judge asked her to call her expert witness. Harm stood up and interrupted.

"I´m sorry to interrupt, Your Honor, but the Prosecution is motioning for dismissing all charges against Petty Officer Margaret Scott. In the light of the new evidence I believe there is no reason to continue this hearing. Mr. Carter had already admitted his lies. He was taken in custody by civil authorities and is going to be handled by them."

The courtroom was filled with silence. No one, not even Mac had expected so quick turn. Maggie was completely dashed, not realizing what had just happened.

"Very well, Commander. If it is the Prosecution´s conclusion, the court is dismissed. Petty Officer, you are free to go." The Judge ordered.

"He meant go… like… go? Go home?" Maggie asked Mac uncertain what to do next.

"Yes, Maggie" Mac assured "It is over, you are home-free" Mac assured.

"Thank you" she yelped and tears appeared in her eyes. She hugged Mac tightly and then run towards her family waiting for her.

Mac stayed in the courtroom for a while longer. As she was colecting her documents, she realized that the satisfaction she felt wasn´t as strong as she had expected to. Of course she was happy, the justice was served and the innocent girl was on her way home. She just felt like it was handed to her on the golden plate. Well, it was a victory nevertheless.

Mac put last few files in her bag and was ready to leave. As she turned back she noticed group of friends waiting for her.

"So, what do you say?´ she asked.

"Great" Cam complimented.

"Perfect" JJ added.

"Almost too good to be true" Ziva teased.

Mac smiled "I know I´ve rocked" she repeated her friend´s expression.

As the group of friends left the courtroom, Mac noticed single person standing in the hallway, obviously waiting for her.

"Great work, Colonel" Harm complimented honestly, even though he had just lost.

"I know" she answered "I guess someone owes me a dinner" Mac reminded him zealously.

"I remember" Harm said slowly but couldn´t help himself to add "you were saying something about a date…"

Mac blushed slightly, but today she was on the winning wave.

"Dream on, you´ll have to work for it…anyway, you are not getting off so easy" and Mac looked around at her friends. "Girls, what do you say to home-made lasagna?"

"Hey, that wasn´t the deal" Harm defended himself slightly scared as he realized what was Mac´s plan.

"Are you scared you can´t handle four women?" Mac asked almost innocently, but there was a daring tone in her voice. Harm knew he could either concede Mac another point or stand up to the challenge.

"Saturday, my place, 1900, sharp." It was his only answer before he left.

.oOo.

Harm locked himself in his office. He knew he made mistake bringing up the date part. Mac would never go so easy and now, instead quiet and hopefully not-just-friendly dinner with Mac, he had four women on his hand. It was too much even for him and he knew he had to do something or they would eat him alive. It didn´t take him long until winning smile appeared on his face…´Well, Colonel, two can play this game´ he thought as he started to look for a phone numbers. The first he found in a minute.

´DiNozzo´ the answer on the other side was sharp and Harm hesitated for a second. Before he could give up, he explained his situation quickly to the agent. If he had any doubts, Tony´s enthusiastic answer encouraged him for the further quest. At least, he wasn´t alone in this mess anymore.

The second call wasn´t so friendly.

"Hotchner" the hostility in the answering voice was so obvious that Harm guessed caller ID revealed his identity. Once more he fought the urge to hang up, but instead he shortly explained the mess he got himself into. To his surprise the first answer was honest laughter.

"I guess you have serious problem, then" Hotch voice was almost sympathetic. "But what do you want me to do about it?"

"Well, I was thinking about equaling the numbers or even gaining some advantage" and he explained his plan.

As he finished the call he realized it went better that he dared to hope. He was starting to look forward to the Saturday.

.oOo.

Ziva sat by her desk. She was checking on some financial matter concerning their latest case, but every few minutes she found a way to peak at Tony. She indulged herself in this pleasure every now and then, especially when Gibbs was nowhere to be seen. And this morning he had went to the director´s office and wasn´t heard of since. Ziva was just thinking about the best way to make fun of Tony when she noticed Gibbs and the Director stepping out of the office.

It took her only minute to create an e-mail and the familiar sound of received mail on her coworker/boyfriend´s computer announced to her a success of the mission. As she supposed, Tony checked his e-mail account immediately and she was secretly watching his reaction.

She realized it wasn´t the most responsible idea to write an e-mail about the fact how much she had enjoyed last night, but she couldn´t help herself.

Tony blushed slightly and reacted exactly in the way she had expected him to. One quick peak assured her, that her timing was impeccable as she saw that Gibbs had already almost descended the stairs. With innocent look all over her, she turned her full attention to Tony.

"Well, miss David" he started naughtily "if you have enjoyed last night, wait for tonight. It´ll rock your world"

The prize for her action was immediate as Gibbs came stealthy from behind Tony and granted him a loving head slap.

"What did we say about any public displays of affection in a workplace?" Gibbs reprimanded Tony like misbehaving child.

"That they are forbidden, unless they are towards you, boss" Tony recited and threw one quick look I-know-you–planned-this-and-you´ll-pay-for-this look towards Ziva.

Before the situation could unveil any further, the sound of elevator beep made them all look in that way.

"Colonel" Gibbs was the first to react at the sight of the visitor "Is there anything we can do for you"

Tony had never understood how Mac managed to get Gibbs behaving towards her in so civil way. It wasn´t obvious in his words, but his posture was relaxed and comfortable and Tony, as skilled investigator, knew it was sign of affection.

"Hello, Agent Gibbs" Mac liked the NCIS agent as well. When they got over the getting-Harm-in-prison situation, their behavior towards each other was friendly, mostly in the Marine-should-stick-together way.

"I´m not here because of me or any case" she said "but the Petty Officer has a favor to ask"

The group in the room only then really noticed Maggie that seemed to be hidden behind Mac. Tony could read in her behavior as easily as in Gibbs´s right now. The girl was seriously uncomfortable. And there was no mystery why. The last time and the only time she had ever been there before was in handcuffs, while she was being accused of bioterrorism. Memories like this tend to leave scars.

It was maybe because of some kind of pity with slight addition of guilt they were feeling for the girl that the self-conscious with which she had spoken, surprised them all.

"Colonel MacKenzie told me, that you were the ones still holding evidence for Mr. Carter, respectively mine, case."

She said and immediately continued "I was advised by my lawyer that since the case is closed, there is possibility for me to get from the evidence things that are mine."

"I suppose Colonel here is your lawyer" Gibbs pointed out unnecessarily.

"Even if I´m, it doesn´t change anything on the Petty Officer´s lawful rights" Mac unwillingly entered into fight with Gibbs. The Petty Officer wanted her things really badly and at the time Mac had no objection of going with her. She had supposed that it was going he all just matter of desk clerk and paperwork, but the kid at the evidence locker sent them immediately up, requesting authorization from the lead investigator.

"I hope the Petty Officer isn´t after anything unlawful"

"Would I be here if she was?" Mac pointed out simply.

"One could never be careful enough when it comes to lawyers" Gibbs held on to his rules.

The almost-completely-friendly fight would have continue further, if not for the Maggie´s interruption

"I just want back my photographs"

Mac and Gibbs both looked at the Petty Officer and back at themselves slightly embarrassed.

"I´m sure it could be arranged" Gibbs admitted and he knew it wasn´t going to be problem. "We can go down to pick it up right now, DiNozzo will take care of the paperwork as he obviously doesn´t have anything else to do" Gibbs managed to get Tony stop starring at the discussing group without even saying it.

Mac on the other hand was more worried about Ziva. She sat quietly with her eyes pointed to the computer screen, typing something vigorously. Somehow, Mac couldn´t make herself believe, that her friend was doing anything work-related. At the first opportunity, when Maggie and Gibbs were going through the boxes of evidence looking for the right photos, she logged in to her IM program, as she supposed, lively chat was going on, discussing her and Gibbs

´_I knew you would snitch"_ Mac wrote and the person that it was meant to, reacted immediately.

´_Oh, Mac, I though you and Gibbs were going to get lost between all the evidence boxes. There´s plenty of dark corners in the evidence locker´ _Ziva answered, making JJ and Cam smile.

´_And she has problem with Ziva and me having boyfriend, while she has two at once´ _JJ wrote.

´_Gibbs and I are barely a friends…and I have no idea who do you mean by the other person´_

_´Look at her, one tete-a-tete with Marine and she forgets all about Navy´_ Cam wrote and this time she made even Mac burst with smile. It caught Gibbs´s attention.

"I seriously don´t know what do women see in the messaging stuff. Ziva spends there a lot of time when she thinks I don´t notice."

Mac smile "Sorry, but I have to write her this" Mac answered and not bothering with the fact, that she was just supporting his theory, she turned her full attention towards her cell.

´_Zi, you are busted, Gibbs knows you are not working, and not only now. You are pretty much screwed_´

´_shit_´ Ziva reacted and immediately went offline.

Then Mac logged off as well and smiled

"She´ll behave now for some time" and with this answer she even managed to get Gibbs to smile at her.

**Next: The dinner of course**


	12. The Dinner

**Dislaimer: The usual**

It was eight minutes after seven, when laughter from the corridor announced girls' arrival. The knock on the door came right after, but Harm made himself wait couple seconds before answering it.

The four women stood there obviously in great humor, dressed to kill. Three of them were holding a bottle of wine.

JJ came in first, handled Harm the bottle and kissed him on the cheek as she passed by him into the room.

"That´s not as bad as you told…" as she entered the room something made her stop in the middle of the speech.

Ziva went in next, handling Harm second bottle and kissing him as well. She also boldly entered the room curiously looking around.

"Seriously, Mac described it as a bachelor lair and…" just like JJ for some reason Ziva stayed speechless.

Cam entered next, repeating the procedure, but instead staying wordless, she let out a small giggle.

Mac reminded outside, she was empty-handed. For some reason, she didn´t care that there was something confusing inside. She looked at Harm and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, I never bring alcohol" she explained unnecessary never taking her eyes away from him. Nothing else mattered.

"I wouldn´t expect you to" Harm said and with gesture invited her in. She smiled at him and as she was passing him he stopped her and gave her small kiss on the cheek. Only then he closed the door and revealed the scene that caused all her friends to stop speaking.

"That´s not fair" she complained as she noticed four other men already in the room, seated at the bar, drinking something that she guessed was bourbon.

"What? I can´t invite friends to my own home?" Harm wondered with innocence in his voice.

"You´ll pay for that" Mac whispered so only Harm could hear, but immediately put on her game face.

"Good evening, gentlemen" she greeted gathered crowd "Admiral" she nodded slightly towards her boss, but it was the only courtesy she was going to pay him tonight. The game was on.

The rest of girls composed themselves finally but instead mixing with the group of men, they followed Mac to already prepared dining table and sat together on one side, with Mac in the front.

Harm hesitated. He didn´t know what exactly he expected, but it definitely wasn´t that. For probably hundredth time already he thanked God he wasn´t here alone with the females and then he invited men to the dining table as well. Maybe food was going to melt the ices.

And he wasn´t wrong. After great dinner when he was just about to start serving deserts, Mac stood up from the table and went to the kitchen area to help him. The conversation at the table was fluent and very often accompanied by laughter.

"You shouldn´t" Harm observed as Mac brought empty dishes from the table and started putting them in the dishwasher "It´s after all the dinner you´ve won"

"I don´t mind, really" she smiled at him "but I´m glad you remember"

"I think you wouldn´t let me forget"

"You ´ve got that one right" and she took the plate full of cookies to place on the table but as she was passing him in the small area, she stopped.

"By the way" she interrupted his fight with the whipped cream "smooth move with inviting the guys. I should have never underestimated you". And she made the few steps towards the table quickly and she eagerly joined the ongoing conversation.

Slightly after 3 a.m. Mac found herself washing the glasses from wine as Harm was picking up the pieces of plate that was broken somehow during the night. Until the last of the guest left, Mac never noticed it and neither did Harm.

She was the last one left in Harm´s apartment and she automatically started to help him with cleaning.

As she reached for yet another pile of dishes that wouldn´t fit into the washer, Harm stopped her.

"Don´t bother with it anymore, it can wait till morning." Harm stopped her in the middle of the move and she hesitated.

"I should go then, I guess" she said quietly.

"If you really want to…" and Mac was worried that now she would really have to leave. But Harm added "…but we didn´t even have a chance to talk"

"Clearly, making such a big party out of it wasn´t my idea" Mac couldn´t help but to point out.

"I wasn´t the first one to invite outsiders…I just went along" he played back and Mac smiled.

"Let not argue about it" she backed out a bit and waited for his move. He nodded as in agreement.

"C´mon, let´s sit and have a drink, I´m completely exhausted"

"Tell me about it" she agreed as she sat down, took off her shoes and stretched her legs comfortably "I never knew your friends could be so talkative." She teased.

"My friends?" he gladly got himself into another of their word-duels as he sat down next to her "if my friends were talkative I don´t even have a word to describe your friends"

"OK, let´s agree not to invite them all together in one day" Mac suggested.

"You didn´t have a fun?" Harm wondered.

"If I had more fun, I´d explode with laughter and honestly, I haven´t seen Admiral to smile so much since…well probably ever."

"Yep, I guess he had good time" Harm observed but there was obviously something more on his mind.

"By the way, when did Cam left?" Mac realized that she had only the opportunity to say goodbye to the two couples that left quite early. She somehow missed the departure of the rest of the group.

"Do you mean when or with whom?" Harm once more teased.

Mac breathed in to argue but she only chuckled

"Whatever…"

"I don´t know, my bet is on Rossi, but I think Admiral had a good shot himself." Harm answered honestly.

"I definitely hope it was the Admiral, life would be so much easier if he was in love" Mac daydreamed out loud

"I just wonder, did you plan it or did it just happen?" she continued.

"Let me just point out nothing happened…" he made a pause "…YET…" he added "…but the truth is I needed to gain the advantage and it was the best I could do on such short notice" he completed the sentence almost innocently.

"I though the girls were matchmakers but you are way worse" Mac shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh, drop the act, don´t you wish for everyone around you to be happy" Harm seemingly reprimanded.

"I do" Mac agreed completely seriously "and Cam deserves it…whoever she left with…Even if it means I´m the last one from our pack staying single"

Silence filled the room and Mac was worried she unintentionally pushed too far. She didn´t mean to seem needy or pushy. She didn´t mean for any of this to happen. She still claimed she was happy the way she was. She didn´t need to be happier.

As the second became longer and longer, Mac released the pressure in only way she could think of, she smiled.

Harm joined in and added "If being single ever starts to bother you, I have few single friends you haven´t met yet…"

If her hopes had even chance to rise in the begging of the sentence, the rest of it buried them deeper than ever. Good thing she had long practice in hiding her feelings. She just bent down and reached for her shoes.

When she straightened up after she put the shoes on, her smile was completely natural.

"Right, so I would have to be grateful to you for the rest of my life" she teased "Thank you, but no, thank you"

She made the few steps towards the door but he was faster and opened it for her.

"I´m just trying to be helpful, you know I´d do anything for you" and though it was meant as teasing, the words seemed completely sincere.

Mac gave him sad smile, but she decided not to react.

"Good night" was all she said before she walked quickly out.

.oOo.

Morning caught Mac already on running track. She noticed that heart-issues, her or her friend´s, were the best that could happen to her physical condition. Every time she didn´t know how to deal with it, she run further and further.

The rest of Sunday she spent at house-work. She usually forgot completely about it when she was working some big case. The cleaning and laundry kept her pretty busy whole day.

As she checked her IM account in the evening, she wasn´t really surprised not to find any messages from her friends. They were probably engaged in completely different way. At least Chloe was on line and chat with her filled the last couple hours till Mac decided it was time to go to bed.

The next day Mac woke up determined. She lay awaken most of the night before she realized that she needed to be happier, after all. Surprisingly it was Chloe who kicked her to action

´_I don´t understand_´ she wrote ´_why girls always have to wait to be asked. It´s just not fair_´ Chloe was dealing with her first heart problems and she wasn´t really patient about the guys. Her surprising teenage-enthusiasm made Mac question the habits as well.

´what the hell´ Mac finally decided ´it´s 21st century. And if it doesn´t work I can always ask for oversea assignment´ she assured herself as she knocked on Harm´s door early in the morning.

"Mac, is everything all right" he asked worried as he let her in, he was just getting ready to leave for work.

"No" she answered "nothing´s all right" she said and started pacing.

**Next: the last chapter:)**


	13. The Hopeless Case

**Disclaimer: Neither one of the shows belong to me…sadly:( **

**A/N So, this is it...:)**

**thanks to all readers, reviewers and mostly to BellaSand...I hope I´ll hear again from you, when I finish my next stories  
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"You and me…" Mac burst out "Do you think we have a chance. I meant…damn, you know what I mean…Just say no and I´ll never mention it again. We are both terribly good in pretending nothing´s going on. But if you think we have a shot, then we should go out…just the two of us"

"Are you asking me on the date?" he wondered.

"No, I´m asking you to jump from the window…of course I´m asking you on the date" it wasn´t going the way she supposed, it should have been fast and clean. She should have known he wouldn´t make it easier on her.

When he hesitated she decided it was time to back off.

"It´s kind of answer as well, I´ll go, see you in the work" and as she finally got out to the safety of her car, she knew she´d be able say hello to him like nothing happen. It was just the way things were between them. Like nothing had ever happened.

She had thought about calling one of the girls, but decided to let it go. After all, nothing had happened. She drove to the safety of the work and hided herself in the files room pretending to be researching a case. She wasn´t really surprised when after half an hour she was interrupted by the familiar voice.

"You are hard person to find, Colonel" Harm greeted after closing the doors.

"Not at all, I´m working…" Mac acted like they didn´t talk this morning and it made her sad how easily it came to her. Did she really was so unfeeling?

"Here, locked in the archives? What are you doing, dusting?" Harm wouldn´t let it go.

"It´s just some research I have been pushing away for too long and I decided it´s time to get it done" Mac stood her ground. Maybe, after all, it wasn´t so easy to stay untouched.

"Today?" he asked and looked at her slightly amused.

"It´s good like any other day" she stated simply.

"OK, let´s cut the crap…you were too fast to run away this morning. I thought Marines never backed off." Harm decided to take pity on her and cut to the chase.

"Even Marines back off when they recognize hopeless case" Mac finally put down the files she was holding and faced him.

"Do you want to get dinner tonight?" Harm dared to make one step closer to her, but there were still piles of files that Mac managed to create in very short time.

"I don´t think so" Mac was proud of herself she didn´t give in to the terrible urge to make step back.

"Just the two of us" he wouldn´t let go and made another step closer to her.

"Maybe some other day" she tried to avoid the decision with indirect answer until she´d have more time to figure out what exactly he was after.

"We can call it a date" he insisted further.

And then she realized how much she really cared. If she hadn´t been so uncomfortable, she´d be jumping with relief that she had feelings after all. And not just any feelings. The joy that overcame her surprised even herself and for a little while she didn´t manage to conceal it. Joyful sparkles filled her eyes. She looked so wonderfully that Harm considered locking the doors and scratching the itch right there. Although he knew very well that no one would probably interrupt them down there, it didn´t feel right. It was Mac, not just some one night stand. So he peacefully waited for the answer.

"Well, I´d have to consider it" Mac said after she again took meticulous charge of her expression. Harm promised himself he was going to make her eyes sparkle like this more often.

"OK?" Harm wasn´t exactly sure what she meant by this.

"It depends on what´s in this for me…" obviously she was going to let him suffer for his morning hesitation for as long as she could.

"Isn´t free dinner enough for you?" he wondered.

She rolled her eyes "I guess I have to life with that" she conceded.

But before Harm could rejoice in his victory, she added "I have one more condition"

"Now I´m really worried" Harm admitted truthfully.

"We have to come up with one very good story how you convinced me to go out with you"

When he looked at her dashed, she explained "There´s no way on earth to force me admit to girls, I had to come to you"

His first instinct was to tease her about her vanity, but then he decided, that some things were rather left alone

"OK, I think we can figure out something" he surprised Mac with compliance. He gave her one more smile and then decided to back out. It wasn´t safe, staying with Mac behind the closed doors. At least not in work place.

.oOo.

Mac quickly finished with the dull work in the archives. There wasn´t so much to do after all. She decided to buy herself just a salad instead of lunch and closed the door to her office. There was something she needed to share with her friends and she couldn´t wait to do it.

She was surprised to find everyone logged on, even Ziva.

´_You´re playing with fire, Zi_´ Mac teased her friend. ´_and you Cam should do something about your employees. JJ spends way too much time on-line´_

´_Not really´_ Ziva answered ´_I´ve finally found the right way to make Tony more attentive towards me_´

´_And what is it?´_

´_I caught terrible flu and I´m on sick leave_´

´_Leave it to Ziva to take things to the extreme_ ´Mac joked ´_Where all others go with hurt expressions, Ziva decides to go with deadly sickness´_

´_I don´t care how deadly it is, but seriously, this morning Tony got up earlier just to come to my place, he brought me some medicine, food for whole day and he actually changed sheets on my bed while I was taking shower´_ Ziva bragged shamelessly.

´_You are making this up_´ Cam jumped in.

´_It´s not possible_´ JJ agreed with her boss ´_and btw Mac, I´m just following the lead on my employer´_

´_I´m just making my sick friend feel better. Ziva must be terribly bored home alone_´ Cam defended herself.

´_Not really, Tony also brought wide selection of movies_.´ Ziva bragged further ´_But I have to admit, you are far better company.´_

´_We´ve heard enough. And if you don´t drop it, I´m going to steal Tony for myself_´ Cam threatened.

´_Oh, Cam, I thought you´ve already done your conquest_´ Mac realized she still didn´t know who had Cam left the party with.

´_We should say conquests_´ Ziva teased. As the couples left the dinner at Harm´s early, Ziva and JJ knew only that Cam had two admirers at the party.

´_Seriously, who did you left with…and don´t tell that with both, because it´d be completely disgusting_´ Mac shed her opinion.

´_She left with one of them? And you haven´t told us before?´_ Ziva accused.

´_Well, you didn´t ask_´ Cam took the defensive stand.

´_OK, it´s enough. Who was it?´_ Mac insisted.

´_Dave´_ Cam wrote simply.

´_Just Dave? Nothing more_?´Mac wouldn´t let go.

´_Well, what do you want to hear? He was just_…´

´_Richer_´ JJ jumped in ´_I smell wife number four on the way_´

´_Go to hell, it was just one night and dinner´ _

_´Don´t forget the chocolates this morning_´ JJ spilled ´_I guess they were his doing_´

Cam didn´t bother to comment. There was no reason to because all the girls guessed the answer. Cam decided to go with distraction.

´_Well, if you were so involved with Harm you didn´t even notice with whom I was leaving, I´m interested in hearing that story_´ Cam pointed her question towards Mac.

´_That evening? Nothing happened then. I just helped him clean up and I went home_´ Mac told the truth.

´_Gee, he is really clueless_´ Ziva observed.

´_Not anymore_´ Mac finally admitted and then she realized that there was no shame in asking the guy out. In fact, it made even better story than he crawling to her.

´_What did you do, Mac_´ Cam might even be slightly worried for Harm. She could very well see Mac holding Harm´s head under water as he once again refused to confront the feelings.

´_What do you think I did, Cam, really?´_ Mac did her best to sound hurt ´_I just asked him to go out with me_´

´_You didn´t_´ JJ asked amazed.

´_What´s wrong with that, we danced around it long enough…I just showed more maturity_´ Mac wrote innocently.

´_You are anything but mature_´ Ziva teased.

´_I know_´ Mac agreed.

´_Damn, I´d love to hear more about it_´ Cam wrote ´_but I have meeting in ten minutes_´

´_This is how you call it these days?´_ Mac couldn´t help herself.

´_She really does have work meeting_´ JJ stood by her boss ´_and I should go as well_´

´_Before you all go_…´ Ziva typed quickly ´_now we are all hitched, does it mean we are not going to do girls-only dinners?´_

´_No way in hell, I´ve enjoyed it too much_´ JJ was surprised by this suggestion.

´_Agreed_´ Cam wrote simply.

´_Great_´ Ziva finished ´_because Mac still owes us all a dinner_´.

**THE END**


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